Rolling mill apparatus



Jan. 15, 1963 w. J. HILL ETAI. 3,073,426

ROLLING MILL APPARATUS INVENTORS ZI/illiam Hill YNor-m n D. Fay

H oney Jan. 15, 1963 w. J. HILL ETAL 3,073,426

RoLLrNG MILL APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS william Hill Bylorman D. Fay

United States Patent Otice 3,073,426 Patented Jan. 15, 1963 Filed June 245, 1960, Ser. No. 38,507 3 Claims. (Cl.'19339) y,This invention relates to a rollingfmill"` apparatus and more particularly to a switchingmeans arranged to direct successive llengthso'f rolling mill product along two different paths. f

ln modern rolling mill practice, the output of a given mill is sometimes so great that it is necessary to use two cooling beds to receive` successive lengths of product alternately. As a matter of fact, it is common practice to cut an extremely long bar length into two or more sections. These sections, of course, follow one another very closelyvtoward the cooling bed. In the past, the lengths have been directed to different cooling bedspby means of a vertical fence or dividing wall which has been pivoted for swinging from side to side about a vertical axis.

. However, due to the fact that the front end of the rear It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention lto provide a rolling mill switchwh-ich is capable of directing successive lengths of rolled product efficiently and eifectively in either one of two selective paths.

y Another object of this invention is the provision of a rolling mill apparatus which is rugged in construction and which is capable of handling heavy sections of bar.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a rolling mill switch which performs its function without damaging the rolled product. Y It is another object of the instant invention tol provide an improved rollingmill switch which is effective in operation, simple'in construction, and in which main tenance problems are reduced to a minimum. y

Anothery object of the invention is the provision of a switch whosesuccessful function is not dependent upon very accurate timing; the apparatus functions during a relatively long interval of time when the product is passing through and not during the very vshort interval of time between the adjacent endsvof successive bars.

With these and other objects in View, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of .parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to certain of 'its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rolling mill apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIGS. 2, 3, V4, 5 and 6 are plan views of the apparatus showing various operative conditions thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6. v

Referring tirs-t to FIG. l, wherein are bestl shown the general features of the invention, the rolling mill apparatus, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10,

is shown as consisting of a directing guide 11, two switching guides 12 and 13, and a runout table 14 all mounted on a base 15. The directing guide 11 is shownas consisting of two side wallsv 16 and 17 and a floor 18 to provide an elongated trough. At its outer or receiving end, the direct/ing guide is provided with a ilare 19 whereby itis adapted to receive the mill product fromV the rolling mill after it has been sheared.. The receiving-'end is provided with a vertical pivot 21 by vwhich it is mounted for swinging movement. At an intermediatepoint the directing guide is provided with a downwardlyY prof jecting pin 22 which lies in a slot 23 which is angular to the pass line formed on the upper surface of'a block 24.

The block is slidably mounted onthe base 15 for movement longitudinally of the direction of the directing guide 11. A hydraulic cylinder 25`mounted on the base 1S provides the force for bringing about the longitudinal movement of the block. n

The switch guide 12 is provided with an outer fence 26 vwhich extends upwardly from a horizontal upper surface 27. If one disregards the fence 26, the guide 12 y could be described as an elongated solid bar with an inclined passage 28 extending through it. This passage extends diagonally through the guide from the outer forward or receiving corner to theinner rearward corner adjacent the runout table 14. The passage might best be described as a groove, since it is open at the receiving end adjacent the directing guide 11 and is open on the f inner. side, leaving a floor 29 and a roof 31 on which the l upper surface 27 is formed; this configuration is par- 'ticularly [evident in FIG. y7. ln a similar manner, the

. switch guide 13 is provided with an outer fence 32 which jacent the runout table 14. This passage or groove devsurface 33.

fines a door 36 and a roof '37 whoseupper surface is .the

the legs and a groove' 42 extends through the bottom ofy the housing. In this groove reside two cam members 43 and 44 which'are locked in parallel relationship, the cam 43 underlying the legs 38 and 39'of the switch guide 13, while theV cam 44 is engaged by similar legs46 andl 47 extending downwardly from the switch guide 12. The

.camy members are mounted in parallel relationship and areslidable over the surface of the basel 15; axhydraulic cylinder 45 isfastened tothe base 15 vand Vconnected to the cams to move them back` and forth as is desired.r vIn this connection, it should be noted Vthat a passage is formed through the base upon which the hydraulic cyl Y* inder` 25 is mounted and through the block 24,'-these passages being suitably formed to permit reciprocationl of thecarn members 43 and`44, independently ofthe block 24.

The runout table 14 is provided with an outboard fence 48 which is inv general alignment with the fence 26 of the switch guide 12; at the other side, it is provided with a fence 49 which is in general alignment with the upper outboard fence 32 associated with the switch guide 13. In its center portion it is provided with a divided wall 51 defining a rigl1t-hand trough 52. leading to one cooling bed (not shown) and a left-hand trough 53 lead-ing to another cooling bed (not shown). l'

The operation of the invention will now be readily understood in view of the above description.v lFIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 show a complete cycle of operation of the switch. Let us assume that a length of mill product has passed through the rolling mill and has been sheared into a number of successive lengths, b1, b2, and b3. The first length of bar, b1, has just passed down the right-hand trough 52 of the runout table 14 and is on its way to the cooling bed. The next length of bar, b2, resides in both the directing guide and the switch guide. The switch guide 12 is in its uppermost position, whereas the switch guide 13 is in its lowermost position. The front portion of the bar residesin the passage 28 of the switch guide 12 and extends over a portion of `the upper surface 33 of the switch guide 13; its forward end is directed toward the left-hand trough 53 of the runon table. The directing guide 11 is in its right-hand position, the pin22 residing in the righthand extremity of Vthe slot 23. The next step is the actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 25 to carry the block 24 toward the pivot 21. This causes the p in 22 to` move toward the left-hand extremity of the slot 23 and carry the directing guide 11 to the left and to the position shown in FIG. 2. The switch guide 12 is still in its upper position, while the switch guide 13 is still in its lower position. The bar, b2, however, now extends in a straight line through the directing guide 11 and over the upper sur face 33 of the switch guide 13. It no longer contacts the switch guide 12. The next step in the cycle carries the parts into the condition shown in FIG. 4. The hydraulic cylinder 45 is actuated to cause the cam members 43 and 44 to be moved forward toward the runout table 14. The posts 38Y and 39 of the switch guide 13 are carried up the inclined surfaces of their cam member `43 and this moves the guide 13 to its upper position. The legs 46 and -47 of the switch guide 12, on the other hand, move down inclined surfaces into low positions on their cam member 44 so that the guide 12 occupies its lower position. The `bar b2 still passes over the uppersurface 33 of the switch guide 13 but this surface now resideswell above the horizontal floors of the directing guide `11 and the runout table 14. However, the bar, although it is raised in its center portion by the surface 33, still proceeds smoothly into the left-hand trough 53 of therunon table, guided by the side walls of 11 and 49 and 51 of 14. Eventually, as is shown in FIG. 5, the rear end of thebar `b2 moves out of the apparatus and the forward end of the next bar b3 presents itself. It moves toward the switch guide 13 because the directing guide 11.is in the left-hand position, and its front end slides along the diagonal surface 35 of the passage 34 formed in the switch guide 13. The upper surface of the oor 36 ofthe switch guide 13 is on the same level as the `upper surface 27 of the switch guide 1,2, and so the forward end of the bar can pass out of the vpassage 34 onto the surface 27 of the switch guide 12 and then into the right-hand trough 52 of the runon table. Assoon as the `front end of the bar b5, has been well established in the trough 52, the hydraulic cylinder 45 is ,actuated to cause the block 24 to move forwardly away-from the pivot 21 solthat the pin 22 moves again to the right-hand side of the slot 23, and carries" the directing guide 11 to its right position. The bar b3 then slides over the upper surface 27 of the switch guide '12; the bar is'substantially straight because the directing guiderll, the switch guide 12, and the right-hand trough 52 of the runout table 14 are in alignment. The switch guide 13 is still in its upper position, while the switch guide 12 is still in its lower position with its upper surface 27 on the same level as the floors of the directing guide 11 and the runon Itable 14.

As the bar proceeds along, its tail end is eventually Withdrawn from the switch guide 12 and the front end of the next bar is about to pass into the apparatus. The positions of the switch guides 12 and 13 are reverscdso that the switch guide 12 is in its upper position and the switch guide 13 is in its lower position; the bar b3 as it passes into the trough 52 is supported in its center portion on a high position of the surface 27. The forward end of the next bar is guided through the passage 28 into the lefthand trough 53 and the cycle repeats itself.

It can be seen, then, that by the operation of the present invention it is possible to direct successive lengths of bar alternately to the right-hand trough 52 and to the lefthand trough 53 without interruption. No matter how closely the front end of a following bar is to the rear end of a preceding bar, the apparatus operates smoothly to direct the bars positively to the proper path.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. Itis not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and'described, but it is desired to include all such asV properly come within` .the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Rolling mill apparatus for directing successive lengths of mill'product alternately to two troughs, comprising an elongated directing guide pivoted at the end which is adapted to receive the mill product, a longitudinally shiftable block means to swing horizontally the guide so that its other end may be directed toward one of the troughs, two independent switch guides lying in side-by-side relation, one of the switch guides being generally aligned with one of the troughs, each of the switch guides being capable of alternate movement vertically from a low to a high position, each of the switch guides having a passage which is oblique to the center lines of the troughs and which is on the level of 4the directing guide and the troughs when the switch guide is in the high position, each switch guide having an upper surface which is on the level of the directing guide and the troughs when the switch guide is in the lower position, and means bringing about the said vertical movement of the switch guides from one position to the other.

2. Rolling 4mill apparatus for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two spaced, parallel troughs, comprising an` elongated directing guide pivoted at the end adapted -to receive the mill product, a longitudinally shiftable block means adapted to horizontally swing the guide so that its other end may be directed toward one of the troughs, two switch guides of rectangular cross-sectional form nterposedbetween the directing guide and the troughs, the switch guides lying in side-byside relation with abutting vertical surfaces, one of lthe switch guides being generally aligned with one of the troughs, each of the switch guides being capable of alteri nate movementvertically from a low to a high position,

each of the switch guides having a groove-like passage of rectangular cross-section which has a vertical wall oblique to the center lines of the troughs and which has a horizontal floor which is on a level with the directing guide and the troughs when the switch guide is in the high position, the passages being open on the said abutting surfaces of the yswitch guides, each switch guide having an upper `surface which is on the level of the directing guide and the troughs when the switch guide is in the low position, and means bringing about the said vertical movement of the switch guides.

3.. Rolling `mill apparatus for directing successive lengths of mill product alternately to two troughs, comprising an elongated directing guide which may be shifted through a-horizontal plane and directed toward one of the troughs, two switch guides of generally rectangular cross-sectional form interposed between the directing guide and the troughs, the switch guides lying in side-byside relation with abutting vertical sides, one of the switch guides being generally aligned with one of the troughs, each of the switch guides being capable of movement vertically from a low to a high position, cach of the switch guides having a groove opening on its said abutting vertical side, the groove having a vertical wall which is oblique to the center lines of the troughs, and a tloor which 5 6 is on the level of the directing guide and the troughs when References Cited in the le 0f this Patent the switch is in the high position, each switch guide hav- UNITED STATES PATENTS p y 4ing an upper surface which is on the level of the directing 1 990 105 Ta ylor Feb. 5, 1935 1d gu e and the troughs when the switch guide 1s 1n the 10W 5 *2,711,809 *0,Keefe et al. June 28 1955 position. 

1. ROLLING MILL APPARATUS FOR DIRECTING SUCCESSIVE LENGTHS OF MILL PRODUCT ALTERNATELY TO TWO TROUGHS, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED DIRECTING GUIDE PIVOTED AT THE END WHICH IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE MILL PRODUCT, A LONGITUDINALLY SHIFTABLE BLOCK MEANS TO SWING HORIZONTALLY THE GUIDE SO THAT ITS OTHER END MAY BE DIRECTED TOWARD ONE OF THE TROUGHS, TWO INDEPENDENT SWITCH GUIDES LYING IN SIDE-BY SIDE RELATION, ONE OF THE SWITCH GUIDES BEING GENERALLY ALIGNED WITH ONE OF THE TROUGHS, EACH OF THE SWITCH GUIDES BEING CAPABLE OF ALTERNATE MOVEMENT VERTICALLY FROM A LOW TO A HIGH POSITION, EACH OF THE SWITCH GUIDES HAVING A PASSAGE WHICH IS OBLIQUE TO THE CENTER LINES OF THE TROUGHS AND WHICH IS ON THE LEVEL OF THE DIRECTING GUIDE AND THE TROUGHS WHEN THE SWITCH GUIDE IS IN THE HIGH POSITION, EACH SWITCH GUIDE HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE WHICH IS ON THE LEVEL OF THE DIRECTING GUIDE AND THE TROUGHS WHEN THE SWITCH GUIDE IS IN THE LOWER POSITION, AND MEANS BRINGING ABOUT THE SAID VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF THE SWITCH GUIDES FROM ONE POSITION TO THE OTHER. 